A protester climbed the Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) with a Palestinian flag on Saturday, disrupting the public order for most of the day. Police personnel cordoned off the area for passersby and closed Westminster Bridge to traffic.

The man with a keffiyeh was seen sitting on a ledge barefooted partway up the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben. He was sharing videos on Instagram from his viewpoint.

A large crowd gathered below to observe the scene, as emergency services used an aerial ladder platform to try to persuade him to safely descend the iconic landmark.